Post from June 27, 2023

“👟 RSD 1155 ✅ Today’s Verse: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” — Ephesians 2:10 (1+1, 5+5)

What’s the best thing you’ve ever done? It might be the decision to embark on your career or when you turned your hobby into something that brought you great joy. It might be saying “yes” to your spouse’s proposal or becoming a parent. It might be graduating when you thought it was a long shot or some other personal achievement. Here’s the thing: I’ve always found this sort of question to be a little odd (not unlike today’s Running Streak number…1155…odd, get it?…I’ll see myself out). But, the “best” day of your life or the “best” decision you’ve ever made or the “best” thing you’ve ever done? From Google/Oxford, best means “to the highest degree” or “that which is the most excellent, outstanding, or desirable.” I’ve always found it odd that this quality of “best” is popular in “getting to know you” questions. Because, if you really think, there’s no such thing as the best ever: while we’re trying to do our best on our journeys, we experience many best things. You probably have trouble picking a best (or it might change from day to day depending on your perspective), but the truth is that you have many bests and should enjoy them all, be grateful for them all, value them all, and, well, love them all.

Today’s verse talks about us. We are the “we” and the “us,” so no big story for today. It’s just us. So, let’s talk about us, and, hey, it’s good news: we’re technically all the best. And, no, I don’t mean we’re all the Participation Certificate from the Presidential Fitness Test in 3rd Grade P.E. On the contrary—we’re all actually the Presidential Certificate in 3rd Grade P.E. The best. The pink Starburst. Charmin, not generic. The top tier. Palladium. Not really masters, because we’re all up there together and for various reasons…but masterpieces might do the trick. You know, like the best art that’s guarded at The Louvre—a masterpiece. Yeah, all the paintings are different, tell different stories, convey different things, have strengths that the neighboring piece might not and missing something that the other piece has…but that unique blend somehow makes the piece fulfill its purpose: they’re all different kinds of beautiful and wonderful, but they’re all masterpieces nevertheless. Back to today’s verse we go: the New Living Translation has it as, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.” The word masterpiece really brings forth how adored we are by the Creator of the Universe; He really thinks the world of us, thinks we should be guarded at The Louvre (“For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways” Psalm 91:11). So, God’s masterpiece…how’s that for a “best?”

Today’s verse talks about our value then talks about what we should do next. As the website “Theology of Work” accurately points out, “masterpieces are not for the closet.” I mean—would you hide a Rembrandt? God doesn’t hide Rembrandts either (I mean, they’re in The Louvre because they put something wonderful into the world). Maybe we’re in The Louvre (you know, Earth) because we’re meant to do the same. The Message translation groups verses 7-10 together. “Now God has us where He wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus…No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join Him in the work He does, the good work He has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.” The Bibleref website reiterates the idea that “good works do not give us salvation, but [that] they are absolutely meant to be the result of salvation.” So, since we know how valued we are, and we know that if we collect too much dust (you know, sin, plus general ick from the world like fear and doubt) Jesus will dust us off so that we can show our colors brilliantly, why wouldn’t we take every opportunity to do just that? God made each of us into a work of art, and I mean what’s contained inside the frame. Our essence. Our soul. What’s inside the frame. We are masterpieces meant to do good work, the best we can. Remember when I said your “best” (thing, day, etc) might change depending on your perspective? God’s perspective is perfect, and God doesn’t change; He knew exactly what He was doing when He made all of us the “best” for what we were meant to do.

Along the same theme of yesterday, what are you good at? What did God pick you for? And, it’s absolutely for something (I mean, space in The Louvre is prime real estate, and here you are). So, maybe you’re pretty sure you’re not supposed to be the President of the United States (hey, at least you don’t have to sign all of those 3rd Grade P.E. certificates), and maybe you’re not famous (all that brand PR would just clutter your space anyway)—really, does every painting have to be in the entryway? Some of the most profound paintings are in the darker corners of The Louvre (hey, bulbs burn out…funding, am I right?). But, these paintings stay put because The Louvre gets crowded, and maybe that painting is the only beautiful thing in that dark corner. Good thing they’re there, right?

What did God paint into you? Are you giving of your time and talents? Are you confident, especially in such a way that enables others to be confident? Are you good at seeing people and making them feel seen? Are you a good listener? Are you brave, or are you tenacious in that you don’t think you’re brave but will do whatever you’re afraid of anyway? Are you a problem solver in that you work with God’s guidance and alongside other people to arrive at meaningful solutions? Are you joyful, especially in such a way that it’s contagious (you know, sunshine in a bottle—actually, sunshine as a person)? Are you faithful—you know, you’re there for people, like really there? Are you adventurous in that you’re totally willing to try new things with everything you’ve got and inspire others to do the same? Are you patient? You know, common goals are hard work, whether it be that you teach PreK, or you’re a good mediator between friends. Are you trustworthy—can people count on you for things? Are you gentle? Are you a good communicator; can you help people find common ground, or at least some understanding? Do you serve—you know, pick up trash that isn’t yours so the fast food workers don’t have extra at the end of their shift? Are you encouraging? Are you good at telling the truth—not meanly, but honest for good? Are you gracious—you know, you cut people some slack when they step sideways because you know that “people make bad choices if they’re mad or scared or stressed?” (That’s from “Frozen”). Are you nurturing? Are you friendly—you know, make friends so easily that you make other people make friends? Are you kind? Do you pray for people? Are you loving? Galatians 5:22-23 guarantees you rock at something here (really multiple somethings). Look for opportunities to do good work, and lean into what you think you should do. “The next right thing.” (That’s from “Frozen 2”). You were built for it, painted for it, imagined and created for it, in the BEST way.

Today’s photo is one of the plants in front of the school (that the kids planted on our annual community service day).”